Combined square



(No Model.)

W. MOORE. COMBINED SQUARE, PLUME, AND LEVEL. No. 596,88.

Patented Jan. 4, 1898.

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U NiTED STATES PATENT Ultron.

VILLIAM MOORE, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEV YORK.

COMBINED SQUARE, PLUME, AND LEVEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,818, dated January 4, 1898.

Application filedlebruary 24, 1897. Serial No. 624,784. (No model.)

so constructed that it is possible to use it upon work which is out of the perpendicular for leveling the same,and,furthermore, whereby an arm may be projected from the body of the tool at any desired angle thereto and held in the position to which it is adjusted, the arm, together with the body of the tool, when one is at right angles to the other, con.- stitutin g a regular carpenters square.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the improved tool, showing the arm adapted as a square in position for use. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool with the aforesaid arm contained within the body of the tool. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tool. Fig. 4f is a vertical transverse section taken practically on the line 44 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the casing in which the spirit-level is contained, which casing is adapted to have rotary movement in the body of the tool.

The body A of the tool is like that of the body of an ordinary level and may be of any desired dimensions and made of any approved material. Ordinarily near one end of the body a vertical recess 10 is made, extending from the top downward, the bottom of the recess being of cylindrical shape. Within this recess a ring-casing 11 is mounted to turn, the ring-casing being provided with a levelglass 12, which is bent upon itself to form,

preferably,three members which are atangles to one another, all of the members being eX- posed for a portion of their length at the opening in the ring-casing, as shown in Fig. 5.

Between the ends of the level-glass a knob or handle 13 is secured, by means of which the ring-casing is turned in its seat. A spring 14 extends across the upper portion of the opening 10, engaging with the top of the ringcasing, and above this spring a bar 15 is located, having a central threaded aperture, while above the bar and the spring a faceplate 16 is countersunk in the top of the body of the tool.

A set-screw 17 isheld to turn loosely in the face-plate 16, being passed through the threaded opening in the guide-bar 15, which is preferably downwardly arched, and the lower end of the said screw engages with the spring 14C, whereby the spring may be forced to such contact with the ring-casing as to prevent said casing from turning after it has once been adjusted. Under this construction theY set-screw 17 does not wear on the casing and a manimum'of bearing-surface is obtained. At the same time a quick relief is provided for the rin g-casing when the adjusting-screw is carried in an outwardly direction.

At the opposite end ofthe body of the tool,in its top portion, a longitudinal slot 1S is made, having a vertical direction. `The side walls of this slot 1S are preferably protected by metal plates 19. At the outer end ofthe slot 18 a square arm or blade 2O is pivoted, the pivotpin 22 of the blade or arm passing through a polygonal foot-section 2l. The pivot-pin 22, which is passed through the body of the tool from side to side, is provided with a countersunk head at one end and a countersunk nut 23 at theopposite end, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 4. A spring 24 has bearing against the polygonal head of the square arm or blade 20, being adapted to engage with one of the facets of the said head. The inner end of the spring 24 is pivoted near the inner end of the slot 18 by a suitable pin 25, which usually extends through from side to side. The tension of the spring 24 may be increased or diminished through the medium of an adj listing-screw 26, which is entered at the bottom of the body of IOO the tool, the head being contained within a suitable recess, and the inner end of the adjusting-screw, which is passed through the nut 27, is in engagement with the bottom of the spring 24- at a point near its center.

A second adjusting-screw 28 is employed, similarly situated to the adjusting-screw 26. The adjustingscrew 28, however, engages with the bottom of the spring 24 at a point immediately `below the head of the square blade or arm 20, as shown in Fig. l. This latter adj Listing-screw 2S,which maybe passed also through a nut 29, serves to hold the square blade or arm rigidly in the position to which it has been adjusted and will accomplish its object effectually whenever the spring is in engagement with a facet on the said head; but when it is necessary to adjust the square blade or arm 20 in a manner which will bring a corner of the head in engagement with the spring it is necessary that fastening devices should be employed auxiliary to the adjusting-screw 2S. Such auxiliary fastening devices are shown in Fig. 4, in which it will be observed that set-screws 30 and 30 are entered through the sides of the body, the former to an engagement with the head of the square blade or arm, the latter, being beneath the said head, serving to draw the slot together, as shown in Fig. 3.

Under such a construction of tool it is obvious that by its use the level of any piece of Work may be obtained, whether the face to be leveled is perpendicular or is of greater or less inclination, since the ring-casing containing the level-glass may be turned in the body of the tool until the desired inclination of said glass is obtained.

It is, furthermore, evident that a level is rendered much more eective by the addition of the square arm or blade and its adjusting device, since a square will always be at hand and the blade can be placed at any angle relative to the body in which it is pivoted, as occasion may demand.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination with a plumb or level provided with a vertical recess near one end, of a rotatable ring-casing in said recess, a level-glass in said ring-casing and bent upon itself to form several members at angles to one another, the said members all appearing at the same time at the opening in the ringcasing, a spring held across said recess above the said ring-casing and arranged to engage with said ring-casing, and means operated from the exteriorvof the tool for binding said spring upon said ringcasing to hold the same in adjusted position, as and for the purpose specified.

2. A plumb or level provided with a rotatable ring-casing in the body thereof, a levelglass in said ring-casing, a spring engaging with the upper portion of the ring-casing, a guide-bar and face-plate located over said spring and an adjustingscrew inserted through said face plate and working in a threaded opening in said guide-bar, said screw being arranged to bind said spring upon the said ring-casing, as specified.

3. A plumb or level provided with a ring casing mounted to turn in the body thereof. having a level-glass bent upon itself to form several members at angles to one another, the various members appearing at the opening in the ring-casing, a spring engaging with the upper portion of the ring-easing, a guide-bar located above the spring, having a threaded opening, a face-plate located above the guide` bar, and an adjusting screw held to turn loosely in the face-plate, being passed through the threaded opening in the guide-bar to an engagement with said spring at a point above the ring-casing, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a plumb or; level, the combination with the body portion of the tool, of a square blade or arm having a polygonal head pivoted with in a slot in said body, a spring pivoted in said recess near its inner end and engaging with the said head, an eXteriorly-operated tension device arranged to engage said spring between its pivot and its contact with the head, and a locking device operated from the exterior of said tool and engaging with said spring at a point directly below the said polygonal head, as specified.

5. In a plumb or level, the body whereof has a longitudinal slot therein, a square blade or arm having a polygonal head pivoted in said slot, a spring pivoted in said body near the inner end of said slot and having its free end engaging with the polygonal surface of said head, two set-screws entered from the lower edge of the body one of which engages said spring between its pivot andA its contact with said head and the other of which engages the spring directly below its point of contact with the said head, and auxiliary binding devices located in the sides of the body and arranged for engagement with the sides of the arm and its head and also arranged to draw the walls of the slot together, as and for the purpose specified.

VILLIAM MOORE.

Vitnesses:

J. FRED. ACKER, JNO. M. RITTER.

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